The French
Revolution
'Can't recommend the French Revolution enough. Awesome, awesome trip.' - Rob, Team R8 V10
* * * The 2026 running of the French Revolution will be taking place between the 13th and 22nd June, and is now open for entries. If you'd like to reserve a place on the trip, feel free to get in touch using the contact details at the bottom of the page * * *
Right then folks, here's a question for you - where can you find the best driving roads in Europe?
In our humble opinion, the South of France is right up there near the top of the list. From the big-name hitters like the Route Napoleon, to the humble sweepers of lesser-known 'D' roads, the Alpine foothills and undulating countryside nestled against the Mediterranean should be on every petrolhead's list.
That's why we came up with the French Revolution - a lap of France taking in the best roads this magnificent land of fine cheese and sweeping corners has to offer.
But every journey is better when it has a destination, and for this one, we've pulled out the stops. At the halfway point of our tour de France we'll be stopping off for three nights on the French Riviera, giving ample time to drop into some of Europe's most glamorous spots - Antibes, the Corniches and, of course, Monaco. And while they say that it’s the journey that matters, not the destination, in this instance we think the destination deserves its fair share of the limelight. Because really, can you think of any place more glamorous than Monaco, with it's legendary casino and F1 track, as a road trip destination? It's not easy, is it…
But let’s get back to the whole ‘journey over destination’ thing – what of the journey there and back, this lap of France? Well, that’s something we’re rather proud of, such is the blend of interest which we’re managing to shoehorn into the whole week away. Here are some of the highlights:
Firstly, when you’re heading to Monaco, there’s only really one road you can take – the famous Route Napoleon. This classic drive will twist you through the mountains of southern France for 200 miles, before you drop down from the hills to the shores of the Mediterranean, where a mini-break on the shores of the Med awaits. You’ll be spending two days and three nights down on the Riviera, which will give you ample time to explore Monaco’s moneyed streets, drop by the bar in the casino, cruise around the Grand Prix circuit, dip your toes in the Mediterranean and visit the second legendary bar on the itinerary – the memorabilia-packed bar of the Hotel les Trois Vallees, a Monte-Carlo rally icon located on the crest of the 1,607m high Col de Turini. Naturally, the drive to and from this highpoint is pretty memorable too, being along the most famous stage of the most famous rally of them all.
But when it comes to driving roads, the Route Napoleon and Col de Turini are only the start, as our exploration of the south of France continues with the vertiginous tarmac which snakes through the 1,000m-deep Verdon Gorge, and France’s most famous race to the sky – the ascent of the 1,912m-high Mount Ventoux. Then, there’s the run along the hairpin-infested Corniche de Cevennes, the impossibly scenic drive down the Gorge du Tarn, and the little-known cols of the volcanic Massif Central. The general consensus of those in the know is that the French Revolution represents the best combination of driving roads of any Pub2Pub trip, which is high praise indeed, given the competition. In short, and with apologies to Lotus, this one is ‘for the drivers’…
But what about places to stop? Sure, we’ve got those covered too. As is usual with our trips, we’ll be presenting a broad selection of the most interesting places en-route, enabling you to pick and choose those which appeal most. We put literally months of research into finding everything of note, so this paragraph isn’t a remotely comprehensive list, but it should give you a taster as to what to expect. And it makes sense to start by mentioning the scenery, as you’ll be spending day after day rolling through glorious mountain landscapes, where every new vista is an invitation to stop and gaze. Spanning these vistas are some of the most photogenic bridges in Europe, including the Millau Viaduct, and Avignon’s Pont du Gard. And nestling in the valleys, you’ll find time-warp villages which couldn’t be any more French if they tried, aromatic fields of lavender, dazzling turquoise lakes and cols made famous by the Tour de France. But there are a few other points on the trip which hit peak Frenchness, of course. Places like the cheese-caves of Roquefort, the towering cathedral of Clermont-Ferrand, the Citroen museum at Castellaine and if you’re feeling particularly brave, the sugar-fuelled excesses of the Haribo Museum. Yep, we’re going all-out to find the leftfield stop-offs on this trip, and we hope you’ll be joining us for the journey.
The Important Information:
Dates – 13th to 22nd June 2026. The trip runs over nine nights and ten days, from a Saturday to the following Monday. This gives time for a pleasant drive down to the Mediterranean, where you'll enjoy a three night mini-break on the Riviera, before continuing the lap of France by looping back across the south of the country, before returning north. So, the trip can be considered to be a trip of three parts - a fun drive down, a three night holiday on the Riviera, and a pleasant drive home again. What's not to like?!
Distance – Approximately 1,900 miles of continental driving, with the trip starting and finishing in Kent.
Vehicles – While we anticipate that most of the vehicles joining the inaugural French Revolution trip will be similar to the metal and fibreglass which characterises many of our trips – ie sports cars and grand tourers, with a significant TVR contingent – we’re happy to welcome any ‘enthusiast’ vehicle along on the trip, and on previous runs we've had representatives from plenty of marques, including TVRs, Jaguars, an Audi R8, an MX5, a McLaren, a BMW Z4 and a brace of Astons. Oh, and a Lamborghini and Lotus, too. After all, they say variety is the spice of life, and when it comes to cool cars, we’re completely onboard with that. So, if you fancy taking on the trip in a Fiat Panda 4x4 or Renault 5, we certainly won't argue.
Route and Attractions – We’ve already skimmed the surface regards the route and attractions, so we’re not going to repeat ourselves here, except to say that what we’ve written in the description above is very much the tip of the iceberg.
Just like with our other events, we produce a full, detailed itinerary for the French Revolution, which covers en-route things to see, places to stop and roads to drive. This itinerary enables you to shape the drive into your own unique perfect blend of driving, sightseeing and relaxation, and contains all navigation routings to enable you to find your way across France as easily as possible.
Accommodation – For the French Revolution’s overnight stops, you can expect to get your head down in some rather nice 3-4 star hotels, with breakfast naturally included. Because let’s face it, we’re heading to the Monte-Carlo Casino. We’ve gotta keep up appearances.
Cost – For two people sharing a car, and staying in either a double or twin room, the provisional price for a place on the French Revolution is £1,750 including all accommodation, breakfasts, channel crossings via the Eurotunnel, the full trip itinerary including satellite navigation routings, the loan of a radio to stay in touch with other entrants, and on-the-road support from the Pub2Pub crew if you're unlucky enough to have any car issues.
Finally on the subject of costs, if you're based in Europe and hence won't need the channel crossings, then the price is reduced by £200, and you're welcome to join us in northern France.
If you'd like more information, or you'd like to reserve a place on the 2026 French Revolution road trip, feel free to get in touch by sending an email to ben@pub2pubadventures.com . A £200 deposit will secure your place, with the balance payable three months before we hit the road.
